Glucagon Comparisons

 

What follows is not my own opinion.  THIS material is fact.  I just wish I remembered where I found it so I could send you there.  The information was culled from several internet sites.

hormones
The Pancreas regulates the body's blood sugar levels by producing and releasing two hormones: insulin and glucagon. Insulin is released to lower blood sugar levels by signalling that your body convert it to fat, and store it in your fat cells. Glucagon is released when blood sugar levels drop, stimulating the breakdown of stored fat into sugars which are released into the bloodstream.

gaining weight
Large amounts of carbohydrates, which are essentially sugars, cause the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin's job is to react with that sugar, converting it to fat that the body can use later. An after-effect of the insulin response is lower-than-before glucose levels, which causes fatigue and hunger. A common response to this fatigue--eat more carbohydrates, repeat the cycle. It's quite easy to gain weight.

reversing the process
It seems logical to suggest that by eating less carbohydrates, you would be able to lessen the body's insulin response, and trigger the release of glucagon. In fact, eating the proper proportions of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) produces levels of insulin and glucagon that put the body in a state where it uses the energy from the foods you eat first, then draws on stored fat to sustain your energy level between meals.

• Insulin is considered an anabolic hormone
• Glucagon is considered a major catabolic hormone that counterimposes insulin
• Insulin represses gluconeogenesis [making glucose] and glycogenolysis [utilizing glycogen]
• Glucagon increases gluconeogenesis from alanine
• Insulin inhibits lipolysis [fat metabolism]
• Insulin enhances amino acid uptake and protein synthesis
• Glucagon stimulates lipolysis and indirectly stimulates ketogenesis [production of ketones]
• Insulin tends to decrease glucose concentration and decrease substrates used in gluconeogenesis
• Glucagon opposes the actions of insulin, stimulates lipolysis, ketogenesis, proteolysis, and gluconeogenesis

• Catabolic hormones, catecholamines, glucagon and glucocorticoids are increased
• Epinephrine increases causing insulin to be inhibited and glucagon to be stimulated
• Insulin is inhibited by the secretion of catecholamines
• Insulin resistance is noted in the stress response
• Decreased insulin and resistance to insulin along with the secretion of catabolic hormones such as glucagon result in proteolysis and the use of amino acids from the muscle as a fuel source  (Insulin resistance--cells refuse insulin, which is similar to diabetes in that it appears that insufficient insulin is being produced)
• Lack of insulin and increased glucagon increases lipolysis and gluconeogenesis from amino acids and glycerol
• Increased glucagon concentrations should stimulate insulin secretion but this is not the case in the stress response
• Decreased insulin levels or insulin resistance lead to less amino acid uptake and less protein synthesis which contributes to a rise in amino acid concentration in the blood.
• Glucagon inhibits triglyceride synthesis by enhancing the conversion of non-esterfied fatty acids to ketone bodies

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